I’ll be the first one to admit that I can get really lazy when it comes to cooking.

It takes work, and I’m often hungry at that moment and just desperate to eat.

When I entered college, that fact was reinforced by my caf account.

Having that account allowed me to come in and get food whenever I wanted and it was nice to have it made and ready for me so I didn’t have to wait.

This is a dangerous and unrealistic habit to get into and expect in the future.

It can lead to fast food consumption and a lot of health problems down the road.

Heck, the food I ate in the caf was often pretty unhealthy, but it was often also the tastiest just due to the preservatives that were used in making it.

I’m ashamed to admit how many times I had chicken strips and fries in my first year, but I’ll tell you now that it was approximately too many.

However, in the last year or two, I’ve started cooking more.

I’ve had to buy my own groceries and cook for myself more recently due to summer internships requiring me to live on my own as well as moving into an apartment for my final semester at Gustavus.

I’ve learned to really appreciate what cooking your own meals has to offer besides the resulting food that you get to eat (which is usually really delicious too).

Cooking is a great hobby.

It teaches you memory skills, dexterity, patience, and makes you more aware of the flavors in food.

It’s also a great way to relieve stress.

I do it after a long day of classes or work, and it makes me happy to not only learn more about something so important, but also get a delicious and fresh meal at the end of it.

It also gives me the opportunity to listen to music and podcasts, or goof around with my girlfriend while I cook.

I’m a huge fan of multitasking so this is great for me.

I wasn’t much of a cook until I started dating my girlfriend, who was raised on home-cooked food and bakes like nobody’s business.

I decided that I should start learning how to cook not only to impress her (which still has yet to work) but also to eat better and learn an important skill.

I’m still improving, but I gotta say that I can sear a mean steak now.

Cooking with someone is a great way to get to know them better.

We’re all pretty intense about how we like our food, but starting these conversations can lead to learning more about what that person likes and all of the little quirks they have when it comes to preparing their food.

Cooking can also be a great way to bring gifts for people or provide something fun, tasty and interesting for a party or get-together.

I’m someone who will never turn down food as a gift, and I know many people who feel the same way. I enjoy making snacks, desserts, and little meals or appetizers to share with others.

It’s just a great way to show that you like someone so much that you were willing to put in all of this time and effort to make them something tasty.

After having cooked for the last couple of years, I can barely eat instant meals or cheap food anymore.

It makes me feel gross, and it’s honestly so much worse for you.

Compare the nutrition labels between several fresh ingredients and one boxed or prepared meal. The instant prepared meals are often way above recommended levels for a lot of nutrients, like sodium, carbohydrates, fat, sugar, etc.

So by cooking, you’re not only eating better, but you’re controlling what you’re putting into your body.

Learning to cook will make you much more hyper-aware of the nutritional benefits of food and what may or may not actually be good for you.

Being a college student does get tough, I get it.

Not only that, most of you are probably on caf accounts and don’t even have to worry about cooking.

I’m just trying to vouch for it now and recommend you start learning sooner rather than later.

This way,  you’re not living off of boxed dinners and foods packed full of preservatives.